Ian Robertson shows up at the door of his fine Highgate house issuing orders to his dog. 'Now, when I say attack, you know what to do,' he says. Which might not be unduly alarming other than the canine under instruction is a nine-stone Rottweiler.

Charlie Wigglesworth, the Rotty, is actually a total softie and a performer of the most outrageous tricks. Robertson balances a biscuit above his nose, shouts, 'No! no! no!', and then 'Go!', at which precise point Charlie flicks the biscuit into his mouth so fast it repeatedly defies capture on camera.

But, back inside the house, Charlie rests on his bed in the kitchen while Robertson turns to the subject of his imminent retirement as BBC rugby correspondent, news of which we reveal on Monday morning.

Broadcaster Ian Robertson, the BBC's voice of rugby, will announce his retirement on Monday

Sportsmail spoke to Robertson, pictured with Rottweiler Charlie Wigglesworth, at his home

After 46 years' uninterrupted service on the wireless, combining a refined Edinburgh burr with a deep understanding of rugby and the people who enrich it, he is vacating the airwaves at the end of 2018.

Robertson, Henry Blofeld and John Motson, all will vanish in the same year, taking their warm idiosyncrasies with them. In the increasingly menagerie-like squawk of radio's me-me-me brigade, Robertson remains one of several notable exceptions by not thrusting himself too far beyond the touchline. His expertise will be missed, even if he is not quite as pin-sharp as on that night in Sydney when Jonny Wilkinson swung his boot into sporting folklore.

It was 2003, time was ticking, and England were trying to beat Australia in the World Cup final. We now let Robertson's own words tell the story because, fashioned though they were in the heat of high drama, the description remains pretty much unimprovable.

'There's 35 seconds to go,' he told listeners. 'This is the one. It's coming back to Jonny Wilkinson. He drops for World Cup glory.

'It's up! It's over! He's done it!

'Jonny Wilkinson is England's hero - yet again. And there's no time for Australia to come back.

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'England have just won the World Cup.' That commentary has won poll after poll as the best ever, eclipsing even such delights as Peter Bromley's description of Red Rum's record third Grand National win in 1977.

Was it rehearsed? No, like all the best commentaries, it was extemporised from the seat of his pants.

But Robertson - who takes the phone off the hook as he ranges from rugby to tales of flirting outrageously with Elizabeth Taylor - admits he was worried as his most famous words poured out.

'I've had a charmed life,' says Robertson. 'I've been lucky, even with that Jonny commentary. I was 80 yards from the near touchline and he was another 50 yards away from that. And he dropped the goal with his right foot, which he had never done before.

'It made me think, "It couldn't be Mike Catt, could it?" The players weren't quite the size of ants or flies, but small enough for me to panic suddenly. I grabbed the binoculars and continued the commentary.

'I knew I was OK because John Inverdale, not one to hand out praise lightly, said that that definitely was not the worst commentary I had ever done in my life. I took that as a compliment.

A career highlight for Robertson saw him commentate on England's World Cup win in 2003

'There's 35 seconds to go. This is the one. It's coming back to Jonny Wilkinson. It's up! It's over!'

'But, God, if I had got the wrong player at a time like that, it would have been the end for me. I would just have cut my throat. Or the BBC would have done it for me.' Instead, it is England's final autumn international, appropriately against Australia, on November 24 when the curtain will fall. He will officially remain on the BBC staff until December 31.

'It will leave me a big gap,' says Robertson, 73, who revered the late, great Bill McLaren. 'But I know retiring now is right. I had a great 2015 World Cup - everything went well - and I had such fun with the Sevens at the Olympics in 2016. But the last year, I have suddenly found it harder to remember what I wanted to remember.

'If I can't remember, I carry on talking, so it doesn't spoil the commentary, but it's annoying. There are 46 players in every international now and there is not so much room in the memory bank.

'There are good people coming through, so it's only right to get out of the way. Plus, it's a worry you get it wrong and that it will spoil 46 years of getting away with it.' The call to the microphone came unexpectedly in 1971, when the Wales and Lions legend and BBC powerbroker Cliff Morgan said he was flying to Scotland to see the schoolmaster for lunch.

Robertson had retired from rugby with cruciate and medial ligament damage aged 24, having won the 1970 Calcutta Cup in an eight-cap career for Scotland, and was then teaching English at Fettes College in Edinburgh.

One of his pupils was Tony Blair. 'We didn't have a great rapport,' says Robertson. 'I can just remember him being a smart-a*** at one point and...I nearly killed him. No, no - I am trying to make this as good a story as I can - I shouted at him.

'He was a bright guy, but he didn't play rugby or any sport as far as I know. I was very friendly with Tessa Jowell (former sports minister, now Lady Jowell) at Aberdeen University. Such a nice, nice person. She would say, "Tony is always singing your praises."

'I would say, "Tessa, he is not singing my praises." Morgan, who cherished words, had only met Robertson in company over dinner a couple of times before he invited him to join the Beeb, starting full-time in March 1972. As well as rugby pedigree as a winning Cambridge Blue, Morgan recognised a phrase-maker and raconteur when he heard one.

As well as mastering the microphone, Robertson appears to be a dab hand at dog training

It was the BBC radio of Bryon Butler and Peter Jones on football, John Arlott on cricket and Bromley on racing. The 'measured voice' of Butler and the 'funny, witty' Des Lynam were particularly helpful to Robertson as he cut his teeth, Lynam taking time one Tuesday to hear back an early rugby commentary to share some pointers with his new colleague.

'And Butler puffed on his pipe,' recalls Robertson. 'Puff, puff, and told me there a lot of machines in the BBC and if anyone asks you know how to work one, say "no, no,". There will always be someone else who can do it instead. Invaluable. It's probably why I am Luddite still. I barely do email.' Consummate performer, though, Robertson turned down offers from commercial rivals to stay at the BBC, for a time combining his broadcasting - and copious charitable after-dinner engagements - with book-writing, the job of Sunday Times chief rugby correspondent and a 20-year TV turn on Rugby Special.

But his young career almost ended prematurely when he was ordered to get the BBC's star guest on the radio pronto. 'It was Oliver Reed and he was wearing a magnificent mink coat all the way down to his ankles and slopping through the mud. He was there to switch on the new floodlights, but was swaying from left to right with drink.

'I was being told to bring him into the commentary, but I could see he wasn't ready to broadcast. But I was told to get him on IMMEDIATELY.

'I still didn't do this.

'Somebody then says, "If you don't bring him in NOW, you are sacked from the BBC."

'So I thought yes/no/yes/no/yes... OK. "And I am delighted to say we are joined by the star of Far from the Madding Crowd, Oliver Reed." A big rugby fan. "Many of us felt the Rosslyn Park pack wouldn't be able hold the mighty Coventry pack, but it's gone pretty well."

'Of course, it has,' said Oliver. 'Because we have a f****** good pack and those f******...' 'No, no. "Why did you bring him in?" they said.' Robertson had cheerier times 'just chatting with Elizabeth Taylor' - which is quite some line to pull out mid-interview. He was working at the Beeb with Richard Burton's brother, Graham Jenkins and had just agreed a deal for Burton's intended book entitled My Sporting Heroes when he died of a heart attack in Switzerland.

Among the famous faces to make Robertson's acquaintance is Dame Edna Everage (right)

'That is what brought me into contact with Elizabeth,' says Robertson. 'She was fantastic - aged 52 but she weighed 7st 4lb. She was every inch the star, and so nice to chat with. She even laughed at my jokes.

'We met her at the Beverley Hills Hotel. We sat by the swimming pool with a bottle of Dom Perignon - the first time I'd tasted the stuff, and talked and talked.

'We were invited that night to dinner at her house. It was fantastic, as you can imagine. One entire wall was covered in Gainsboroughs, Van Goghs, Monets, Manets, Goyas, the whole lot. And she was happy to help with the foreword.

'I met her again later in London for lunch, round the corner from the Dorchester. A magical memory. I told her it would keep my wife if she sent a card thanking me for a wonderful night. No problem. She had nice handwriting. It did my ego good, if nothing else.

'She later sent an embossed Christmas card. One came the following year. And then I was dumped. But I am still happy.'